XL Bully Owner Insists Dog Was Secured in Shed During Fatal Mauling of Pensioner
The owner of an XL bully dog that fatally attacked an 84-year-old man has told a court he had locked the animal in a shed before leaving home on the day of the incident. Sean Garner, aged 31, is standing trial at Liverpool Crown Court, where he denies owning a dangerously out-of-control dog that caused the death of pensioner John McColl.
Defence Details Security Measures for Shed Where Dog Was Kept
Giving evidence, Garner described how he secured the shed on February 24 last year, when the attack occurred in Warrington, Cheshire. He stated the shed was fitted with a bolt that went over a loop, which also had a padlock through it. Garner explained to the jury, "The padlock was closed but it had the key in the bottom of it." Additionally, he mentioned that a gate leading from his patio to the driveway was fastened with a latch, chain, and bolt.
When questioned by his barrister, Lloyd Morgan, about how the attack could have happened, police dog expert PC Stuart Davidson suggested a possible scenario. He accepted that if Mr McColl opened the shed door, releasing the dog named Toretto, the animal might have perceived him as an intruder and attacked. However, under further questioning by prosecutor David Birrell, Davidson maintained that hunger could have been the primary cause, noting the dog likely had not been fed for about ten hours before the incident.
Victim's Daughter Disputes Claims of Trespassing
The jury heard a statement from Mr McColl's daughter, Joanne Percival, who described her father as frail and someone who walked at a "shuffle." She strongly disputed any suggestion that he would cut through strangers' property, saying, "If he had ever used any kind of shortcut he would have told us what way he walked." This testimony challenges the defence's implication that Mr McColl might have inadvertently released the dog.
Toxicology evidence presented in court showed that Mr McColl had 89mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, a level expected to cause mild intoxication. Meanwhile, Garner confirmed in his evidence that he owned Toretto and another dog named Malibu, asserting he fed and watered them regularly. He told jurors that dogs had been his "life," and he had previously bred and promoted them online, including through an Instagram page.
Owner Denies Aggression and Explains Controversial Messages
Garner sought to address messages raised by the prosecution, where phrases like the dog being "missing a few nuts and bolts" were used. He told the court these were "just a figure of speech" and insisted, "If my dog showed aggression I wouldn't have had it around my kids." The trial continues as the jury deliberates over the conflicting accounts of the dog's behaviour and the circumstances leading to the tragic death of John McColl.
